May 20, 2021
Seoul, Republic of Korea, May 20, 2021 – Today, Blockchains, Inc., with CG/LA Infrastructure partnered with Seoul National University’s Siheung Campus Education & Collaboration Center to present the first US-Korea Strategic Infrastructure Summit. Thirty-five senior delegates representing the United States and Republic of Korea federal governments, higher education, and private sector companies, safely assembled to explore how they can apply their collective expertise to help guide each country’s national infrastructure plans, that were announced earlier this year: the Korean New Deal and the American Jobs Plan.
Delegates discussed a variety of ideas and topics that would enable today’s traditional infrastructure to maximize the technologies and innovations of the digital revolution of the last decade, and evolve to a more intelligent infrastructure. The evolution also brings with it a broader view of what infrastructure could include: the internet, enterprise networking, and digitalization of cities, roads, and buildings, as well as digital identities for all citizens. Summit organizers and participants agreed that blockchain technology has an important role to play in all infrastructure planning and modernizing going forward.
“This was an important day for everyone involved and our two countries. We are very proud to have been able to host this summit with our new U.S. partners, the Strategic Infrastructure Performance Institute’s founder, Norm Anderson, and the Blockchains team,” said Dr. Junseok Joseph Hwang, Director, Seoul National University Global R&DB Center. “With the meeting of President Moon and President Biden now taking place in the U.S., we are inspired that our work here today will lead to actionable next steps toward global infrastructure sustainability.”
“It’s amazing how technology has changed how we think about infrastructure and how we now define it,” said Norm Anderson, CEO, CG/LA Infrastructure and the Strategic Infrastructure Performance Institute. “We heard from Blockchains keynote today that infrastructure has always been about how can we create a better, safer, honest world for every individual who lives in it. And, it is blockchain technology that will make the biggest difference. It will enable transparency and trust in the data and information that all the other technologies generate and use to help us create smart cities and innovation parks.”
Following the two keynote addresses, a group of the delegates participated in a formal signing ceremony of two documents: A Memorandum of Understanding between Blockchains and Seoul National University Global Research & Development Business Center; and a Declaration of Intent between Seoul National University Global R&DB Center, Blockchains, Strategic Infrastructure Performance Institute, Big Sun Holdings Group, Flash Labs Corporation, and Smart Radar Systems Inc.
“These agreements are commitments to begin working together on something we all care about and know needs addressing on a global scale, and that is our infrastructure,” said Lee Weiss, Executive Vice President, Blockchains. “Infrastructure is no longer a community, city, or country challenge, it is a global challenge. We have technology to thank for that, and now we have technology that can help us think, plan, and develop infrastructure in a way that allows us to prioritize the individual human experience.”
After the signing ceremony, delegates transitioned into five integrative breakout sessions that had each country equally represented:
- Smart City & Smart Integration Opportunities
- New Mobility (EV, AV, UAM) & New Infrastructure Opportunities
- Artificial Intelligence/Big Data/Machine Learning/Software Opportunities
- 5G/6G and Related Ecosystem
- Blockchain Application Opportunities for Digital Asset Management and Innovative Infrastructure Financing
The ideas and recommendations generated by each breakout group were assembled for final review in a plenary session at the end of the event.
“What we heard and the exchange of ideas that we engaged in are strong indicators that infrastructure is a global conversation,” said Joseph Campos, Director, Strategic Infrastructure, Blockchains. “In my opinion, we made great progress today. This is not an easy task and it requires real leaders, commitment, expertise, and out-of-the-box thinking to drive real change anywhere.”
The delegates and summit organizers are in agreement that this is the first of many joint infrastructure meetings between the two countries. The next annual summit is expected to be in the United States. A date and exact location are yet to be determined.
Blockchains, Inc.
Blockchains is a company committed to protecting and empowering individuals through the development of a blockchain-based platform that will change the way people interact with technology, infrastructure, and each other. Blockchains plans for its solutions to serve as digital infrastructure to purpose-built smart cities in the United States and around the world, while working with innovative companies and communities to showcase how, when embracing innovative technologies with a commitment to sustainability enhancement, we can transform daily human life for the better.
CG/LA Infrastructure
Infrastructure is the internal framework for a country, allowing its economy and its citizens to be productive and healthy. CG/LA provides public and private sector organizations with services based on 25 years of experience covering all infrastructure sectors in the developed and developing world.
